Dementia Care Research and Psychosocial Factors

Area of Science:

• Gerontology
• Public Health
• Emergency Medicine

Background:

• Transitions of care for people living with dementia (PLWD) from emergency departments (ED) to home are challenging.
• Unpaid care-partners, crucial for successful transitions, often experience high stress levels.
• Over 40% of PLWD discharged from the ED return within 30 days, highlighting a critical gap in post-discharge care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To measure the association between care-partner stress and the rate of return visits to the ED for community-dwelling PLWD discharged home.
• To identify factors contributing to caregiver stress during transitions of care from the ED.

Main Methods:

• Pilot study involving community-dwelling PLWD discharged home from the ED.
• Participants identified via cognitive impairment diagnosis or screening, with disposition to home.
• Care-partners completed caregiver stress screens and a stress thermometer.

Main Results:

• Recruitment challenges included reliance on ED clinicians and last-minute changes in patient disposition (e.g., 'soft' admissions).
• Lessons learned regarding effective recruitment strategies in the ED setting were documented.
• Qualitative data on care-giving stressors were collected.

Conclusions:

• Care-partner stress is a significant factor in the care transitions of PLWD from the ED.
• Understanding and addressing caregiver stress is essential for reducing ED readmissions.
• Further research is needed to develop interventions supporting care-partners and improving outcomes for PLWD.